Celtics

Celtics reportedly acquire Magic wing Evan Fournier for two second-round picks

Fournier, 28, will be a free agent this summer.

By Tom Westerholm

March 25, 2021

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Email
• 16

The Boston Celtics made a move to upgrade their depth on Thursday morning before the NBA’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, sending two second-round picks to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Evan Fournier, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.

Teams are finalizing the deal now, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/Rc27IxxhnB

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2021

Fournier, 28, fits into the Celtics’ traded player exception created by their Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade this summer. He makes $17 million this year and will be a free agent in the offseason.

Fournier will bolster the Celtics’ offense significantly — a talented scorer, he’s averaging a career-high 19.7 points per game on 46.1/38.8/79.7 shooting splits.

The Celtics are reportedly still in discussions with Orlando regarding Aaron Gordon. The sticking point seems to be a second first-round pick, which Orlando covets and the Celtics — who boast a 21-23 record — are reluctant to offer. The Celtics’ preferred package seems to be a first-round pick and one of their young wings (Aaron Nesmith or Romeo Langford).

The Celtics now have too many players on their roster and will need to make cuts somewhere, but that could happen in the form of a trade for Gordon.

The Magic seem to be in the beginning stages of a full teardown. Shortly before dealing Fournier to the Celtics, Orlando traded Nikola Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls for Wendell Carter Jr. and a pair of first-round picks.